This disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to stator vane arrangements for gas turbine engines.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a rotor assembly which extends axially through the engine. A stator assembly is radially spaced from the rotor assembly and includes an engine case which circumscribes the rotor assembly. A flow path for working medium gasses is defined within the case and extends generally axially between the stator assembly and the rotor assembly.
The rotor assembly includes an array of rotor blades extending radially outwardly across the working medium flowpath into proximity with the case. Arrays of stator vane assemblies are alternatingly arranged between rows of rotor blades and extend inwardly from the case across the working medium flowpath into proximity with the rotor assembly to guide the working medium gases when discharged from the rotor blades. Some exit stator vane assemblies include a plurality of stator vanes extending through slotted openings in an outer shroud and likewise through slotted openings in an inner shroud. The inner shroud has a bolted connection to an inner case, while the outer shroud is loosely retained at an outer case, and thus allowed to “float” in a radial direction. The float allowed in the exit stator outer shroud is less than optimal for exit stators in controlling rotor tip clearance, and improvements in exit stator arrangements would be welcomed by the art.